Hand-truck



(No lttodel.)

W. SANDERS 8v J. B. RAPPERTY.

-HAND TRUCK. Y No. 391,560. Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

WITNESSES: I VENTURI ATTORNEYS.

.-NITED STATES PATENT tribe,

YVILTSHIRE SANDERS AND JOHN BENJAMIN RAFFERTY, OF RENO, NEVADA.

HAND-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,560, dated October23, 1888.

Application filed August 16, 1887. Renewed May 19, 1888. Serial No.274,374.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILTSHIRE SANDERS and J oHN BENJAMIN RAFFERTY, ofReno, in the county of Washoe and State of Nevada, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Hand Trucks or Carriages, of which the following'is a specification.

Ourinvention is especially designed for handling large boxes and casketsfor undertakers work and for handling baggage.

The object of our invention is to provide a light,strong,andsimple formof hand-carriage, which may be easily handled and will embrace in itsstructure certain devices which add to its utility and effectiveness.

The improvement consists in certain combinations of parts and detailsofconstruction, hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2is a vertical section, of our improvement.

The frame A of the carriage is mounted upon springs B, securedtransversely to an axle, O, the ends of which are journaled to receivewheels D, of sufficient diameter to reach from the middle part nearly tothe end of the frame.

The frame A is formed of longitudinal side rails A bound upon theirupper side with iron straps a and with the ends a of a shoeplate, Asecured at an angle with the rails to pass easily beneath the edge of abox to be loaded upon the carriage. The side rails A are connected attheir ends to cross-braces E, having their ends held between the strapsa and the rails A and secured thereto by bolts or rivets e, passingthrough said braces, straps, and rails. The extremities e of the bracesE are turned up to form side guards for holding the box or casketcentrally upon the frame and prevent it from rubbing against the wheelsof the carriage.

The frame A supports thejournal-pinsf of rollers F, held laterallythereon, over which the box or casket may be easily rolled in placing itupon or removing it from the carriage, and the end roller forms ahandle, G, which turns freely between the bowed portion a of the strapsa and the end a of the rails A. The ends 9 of the handle-roller Gproject from the frame, and may be easily held for tilting and movingthe carriage. A rod, H, extends across the rear end of theframe to braceit,

and also to support legs I, having plate-hinges 2', through which saidrod Hpasses. Thelegs I are braced at their lower ends by crossbars u Iand rods 1 and are held up alongside of and beneath the rails A, whennot in use, by asupporting-bar, K, extending across and beneath theframe. The supporting-bar K has bent ends K, pivoted at K to the siderails I of the frame, and is operated by a pull-rod, K, supported andguided by loops K, upon the under side of the rails A, to slide thereonand be operated from the rear of the carriage to bring thesupporting-bar beneath the ends of the legs I, or to push it out of theway when the legs are required to be dropped to sup port the carriage ina horizontal position.

Steady-hooks L, having a blade, Z, and a pin, Z, are used to engage withthe projections or sills of a door or beneath the boards of a platformand hold the rear end of the carriage-frame securely while the box orcasket is placed upon or removed from the carriage. The proportions ofthe wheels with the frame and springs are such that the forward end ofaframe long enough to support a casket will project but slightly beyondthe rim of the wheels, and when the frame is dropped at its forward enduntil the shoe-plate rests upon the floor to receive the box or casket,as shown in Fig. 1, the frame will be in nearly an upright position, andthe box may be tippedbut slightly to fall upon the frame of the carriageand be supported thereby. The springs beneath the frame relieve the boxof sudden jar when the box falls upon it and raise the framesufficiently above the axle to allow a frame of the required length tobe placed upon moderately sized or proportioned wheels.

When the casket or box is to be loaded upon or unloaded from a railwaycar or platform, the rear end of the carriage is brought around close tothe side of the car, and then pushed from its forward end of thecarriage until the ends of the rails A and the hooks L thereon overlieor engage with the sill or sheathing of the doorway or floor of theplatform, and se eurely hold the carriage until the box is loaded orunloaded by passing it over the rollers sup ported upon theearriageframe.

lVe claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1.In a hand-carriage, the combination,with

the wheels, of a rectangular frame located intermediately thereon,havingashoe-plate, A at its forward end and safety-hooks L at the rearend thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a hand-carriage, the combination, with the wheels, of a framelocated intermediately thereon having roller G, with projecting handles9, supported to turn freelyin bearings at the rear end thereof,substantially as described.

3. In a hand-carriage, the combination, with the wheels, of the legshinged to the rear end thereof, a swinging bar,K,pivoted to the frame toswing beneath the ends of the legs, and a rod, K sliding or guiding inloops secured to the side bars of said frame for operating the bar K tosupport or release the legs, substan tially as described.

4. In a hand-carriage, the combination.,with the wheels, of a framecarrying rollers F and cross-braces E, bolted to the rails, having up-20 turned ends to hold the load centrally upon the frame, substantiallyas described.

5. In a handcarriage, the combination,with the wheels, of a rectangularframe, A, shoeplates A, secured to the forward end thereof, 2 5 and asafety-hook, L, and swinginglegs I,supported at the rear end thereof,substantially as described.

WILTSHIRE SANDERS. JOHN BENJAMIN RAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. TAYLOR, F. M. LEE.

